HomeMy WebLinkAboutFCS-13-073 - Air Quality in Kitchener - Five Best Bets for 2013
REPORT TO:
Planning and Strategic Initiatives Committee
DATE OF MEETING:
May 6, 2013
SUBMITTED BY:
Environmental Committee
PREPARED BY: L. Korabo, Committee Administrator x 7591
WARD(S) INVOLVED:
All
DATE OF REPORT:
April 23, 2013
REPORT NO.: FCS-13-073
SUBJECT: Air Quality in Kitchener: Five Best Bets for 2013
RECOMMENDATION:
“That the five 2013 Best Bets for Air Quality in Kitchener and corresponding recommended
action(s), as outlined in Table 1 of the Finance and Corporate Services Department report FCS-
13-073, be approved.”
BACKGROUND:
In May 2006, the Environmental Committee presented a report entitled Air Quality in Kitchener
to Kitchener Council. The report was the culmination of over a year of deliberations by
members of the Committee responding to direction from Council to develop a long-term,
comprehensive plan on air quality in the City of Kitchener. The report included a series of 50+
recommended actions; and, since its inception, the Environmental Committee has annually
selected and recommended five Best Bets to Council.
In 2010, city staff, in partnership with the Environmental Committee, revised the original Air
Quality in Kitchener report and presented Air Quality in Kitchener – 2010 to Council. The
updated plan contains at least 50 short-term and long-term recommended actions to improve
local air qualityand links those actions to the Strategic Plan for the Environment.
REPORT:
At the April 18, 2013 Environmental Committee meeting, the Committee received a presentation
from the Air Quality in Kitchener Best Bets Sub-Committee, outlining the recommended 2013
Five Best Bets for Air Quality. After a review and discussion of the presented options, it was
agreed to recommend the following five 2013 Best Bets to Council for consideration:
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Table 1: 2013 Five Best Bets for Air Quality
BestBetsRecommendedAction(s)StrategicPlanfor
Environment
1EncourageonsitecontrolsthatThattheEnvironmentalCommitteeinWaterResources
reduceindividualcontributionsofcooperationwithStaffdevelopan
stormwaterrunoffandpollutantinformationpamphlet,webpage,etc
loadingtothemunicipalStormwatertoinformandbedistributedto
ManagementSystembusinessesandresidents.
Informationshouldincludebest
[Action2.1cfromtheAirQualityinpracticesandinformationonwhoto
Kitchenerreport(2010)]contact.
2EncouragethecontinuedintegrationThattheEnvironmentalCommitteein
LandResource
ofenvironmentallysustainable/cooperationwithStaffresearchbest
andGrowth
walkableurbandesignandpracticesandstandardsfor¤┼ʼnśś■
Management
neighbourhooddesignprinciplesintodevelopment(buildingsandsites)so
thedevelopmentapprovalsprocessitcancontributetothepreparation
ofupdatestothe/╜ĊŦUrbanDesign
[Action4.1afromtheAirQualityinManualanddevelopmentprocess.
Kitchenerreport(2010)]
3DevelopbusinessassistanceandThattheEnvironmentalCommitteeinAirQuality
recognitionprogramstoencouragecooperationwithStaffdevelop
businessestoadoptpollutioninformationtobedistributedto
preventionandecoefficiencybusinesses.
measures(LEEDincentives)
Drafttheframeworkofapossible
[Action3.5afromtheAirQualityinrecognitionprogram.
Kitchenerreport(2010)]
BestBet3shouldbeconsidered
concurrentlywithBestBet#1.
4TheCityshouldadoptplanningtoolsThattheEnvironmentalCommitteeinAirQuality
toassistwiththedevelopmentofcooperationwithStaffsupportthe
CommunityEnergyPlansthatwouldcreationofpolicyinthe/╜ĊŦnew
supporttheAirQualityinKitchenerOfficialPlan.
ﻮﮭوﮭ
ThattheEnvironmentalCommitteein
[Action3.3afromtheAirQualityincooperationwithStaffprovideinput
Kitchenerreport(2010)]totheCommunityClimateAction
Plan(jointinitiativewithClimate
ActionWR).
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Table 2: 2013 Five Best Bets for Air Quality (Cont’d)
BestBetsRecommendedAction(s)StrategicPlanfor
Environment
5TheCityshouldendeavortoensureThattheEnvironmentalCommitteeinNaturalHeritage
thatitisundertakinguptodate,cooperationwithStaffresearchbestSystemsand
sustainableparkandyardcarepracticesandstandardsforRecreational
practicessustainableparkandyardcaresuchAreas
aswastemanagement,equipment
[Action1.4afromtheAirQualityinrefueling,frequencyofcuttingand
Kitchenerreport(2010)]withtheaimof
naturallawncare
incorporatingthemintodaytoday
activities.
ThattheEnvironmentalCommitteein
cooperationwithStaffresearch
environmentalfriendly(goodfuel
efficiency,lowemissionandlow
noiselevels)parkandyardcare
equipmentsothattheinformation
canbeusedtoguidefuture
equipmentpurchases.
New this year, the Best Bets also include recommended action(s), which give direction to staff
when investigating the feasibility of implementing the Best Bet.
Subject to Council’s approval of the annual Five Best Bets, all affected Departments, Divisions,
and / or staff will be notified and requested to commence their study on each recommended
action. Following this, the affected staff should consider the advisability and necessary steps,
including budget requirements, in implementing the recommended actions. Staff in corporation
with the Air Quality in Kitchener Best Bets Sub-Committee will provide updates in the fall of
2013 on their investigation into each of the Five Best Bets, at a regularly scheduled meeting of
the Environmental Committee.
Finally, staff in cooperation with the Air Quality in Kitchener Best Bets Sub-Committee will
provide a report in the spring of 2014 (before the next Best Bets are announced in June), to the
Environmental Committee and Standing Committee of Councilon the previous year’s Best Bets.
ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN:
Endorsing the Environmental Committee’s recommended Best Bets for 2013 aligns with the
Strategic Plan by directly supporting the commitment to conserving, protecting and improving
the environmental, which has been identified as a Community Priority.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
There are no direct financial implications associated with this report; however, some of the Best
Bets will require staff resources and funding to allow for investigation as to the feasibility of
implementation. If implementation proceeds and funds are not in the current budget or are a
significant additional amount, requests for additional funding will be brought before Council.
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COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
INFORM: The timing for the annual Five Best Bets selection is set to permit their public
announcement on Clean Air Day, a day proclaimed by the Government of Canada and
occurring this year on June 5, 2013.
COLLABORATE: As outlined in its Terms of Reference, the Environmental Committee’s
mandate includes promoting the protection, maintenance and enhancement of the environment
consistent with the approved Strategic Plan for the Environment. This includes the annual
forwarding of Best Bets for Council’s consideration.
ACKNOWLEDGED BY:
D. Chapman, Deputy CAO – Finance and Corporate Services
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